DHAKA, Jan 1, 2021 (BSS) – Like the previous years, textbook distribution
started today among the students from class sixth to nine on the first day of
the New Year.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina already inaugurated the free textbook
distribution through a videoconferencing from her official residence
Ganabhaban on Thursday.
The book distribution ceremony was held at Bangabandhu International
Conference Center (BICC) in the city.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the government has already taken all-out
measures to distribute new textbooks among 4.5 crore students of the primary
and secondary levels free of cost on the first day of the New Year.
The textbook this year however will not be distributed by holding book
festivals like every year due to the coronavirus.
The books will be handed over among the students at their respective
educational institutions in 12 days to avoid any kind of gathering.
Earlier, Chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB)
Professor Narayan Chandra Saha told BSS that generally, Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina inaugurates the book festival by handing over new books to students at
Ganabhaban every year.
“But this time, the premier will formally inaugurate the textbook
distribution through a videoconferencing from Ganabhaban on December 31, 2020
due to COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Later, the books will be distributed among the students in educational
institutions across the country on the next day (January 1, 2021), Professor
Saha added.
On the occasion of the ‘Mujib Year’, novelty has been brought on the cover
of the books this time, he said.
Still images of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,
independence, great Liberation War, Language Movement and various development
projects of the present government have been printed with captions on the
back page of the textbooks, he continued.
The NCTB chairman said cent percent of primary books have already been
printed while more than 85 percent of secondary books have been printed so
far.
The books have already been reached to the schools across the country, he
said.
Pre-primary books, Braille method books and books for ethnic students have
also been printed, he added.
According to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the demand of
textbooks for primary students in 2021 is 10 crore 25 lakh 82 thousand and
555.
Of those, 2 crore 59 lakh 92 thousand 671 books are for the first and
second grades’ students, while 6 crore 96 lakh 97 thousand 374 books are for
the third, fourth and fifth grades’ students.
2,13,288 books printed in special language will be distributed to 94,275
ethnic students (Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Garo and Sadri) from pre-primary to
third grade and the books have been printed in five languages.
This time Braille books will be distributed to 9,196 visually impaired
students.
According to the Ministry of Education, in the academic year of 2021, 24
crore 33 lakh 34 thousand copies of books will be printed for the secondary
level students.
Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) Director General Dr
Syed Md Golam Faruk told BSS that educational institutions across the country
have been closed since March, 2020 due to the coronavirus to ensure the
safety of the students.
“We are trying to reach new books to students across the country on time
in spite of corona situation,” he said.
He urged the teachers, students and parents to follow the hygiene rules
while distributing books in the educational institutions amid the pandemic.
The director general said, “We will try to ensure that the students can
continue their education smoothly from the beginning of the next year
(2021)”.
Once they get new books, they can study according to their curriculum, he
added.
Awami League government has been celebrating ‘book festival’ on January 1
every year in a festive atmosphere since 2010 with the aim of elevating
education standard and preventing dropout rates.
In the last ten years since 2010, about 331.47 crore primary and secondary
books have been distributed across the country.